In the quest for renewable sources of energy, photovoltaic technology has assumed a preeminent position as a cheap renewable source of clean energy. In particular, solar cells based on the compound semiconductor copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) used as an absorber layer offer great promise for thin-film solar cells having high efficiency and low cost. Of comparable importance to the technology used to fabricate thin-film solar cells themselves, is the technology used to collect current from solar cells, solar-cell modules and solar-cell arrays, and to collect current from these without power loss in a highly reliable manner.
By-pass diodes have been used to overcome the impact of shunt defects that cause power loss in solar cells. Maintaining the reliability of by-pass diodes utilized in solar-cell current-collection and interconnection schemes is critical for maintaining the reliability and efficiency of solar-cells protected by such by-pass diodes. Consequently, maintaining the reliability of by-pass diodes determines the useful life and performance of solar-cells, and the solar-cell modules and solar-cell arrays that depend upon them.